Pronunciation guide

Note that Zulu is a tonal language, so the meaning of some words depends on whether you use a high or low pitch.
For instance, "Unjani?" with a high tone on the 'u' means "How are you?" whereas a low thone on the 'u' means "How are they?"

Vowels

Zulu vowels are very similar to those found in English.

Consonants

Zulu has three click consonants, represented by "c," "q," and "x" in written Zulu.

c: Click your tongue off the back of your teeth, like a disapproving "tsk tsk."

x: This sounds like the click made to summon a horse. Click the side of your tongue off your molars, on either or both sides of your mouth.

q: This is the hardest click. It should sound somewhat like a cork being popped from a bottle. Put your tongue on the edge of your hard palate, and pull it of sharply. This will take some practice.

Here are the other consonants that can be difficult:

t like the "t" in "tea"

k somewhere between English "k" and English "g"

kh this is a digraph; it is pronounced like a hard k in Eglish, like k in "kick".

hh A digraph, this is a voiced "h", like "ch" in the Scottish "loch" but softer.

y Like the English "y"

b Like the English "b"

Phrase list

Basics

Common signs

OPEN

CLOSED

ENTRANCE

EXIT

PUSH

PULL

TOILET

MEN

WOMEN

FORBIDDEN

Hello (to one person)

Sawubona.

Hello (to a group of people)

Sanibonani.

How are you? (singular 'you')

Unjani?

How are you? (plural 'you')

Ninjani?

I'm fine.

Ngikhona.

We're fine.

Sikhona.

What's your name?

Ungubani igama lakho?

My name is _____.

Igama lami ngingu _____.

Can you help me?

Ungangisiza?

How much (does it cost)?

Yimalini?

What's the time?

Isikhathisini?

Where are you from?

Uphumaphi?

I come from ___________.

Ngiphuma _____.

Do you speak English?

Uyasikhuluma isiNgisi?

Thank you.

Ngiyabonga.

Stay well / Go well. (used as 'goodbye')

Sala kahle / Hamba kahle.

Problems

Leave me alone.

Don't touch me!

I will call the Police.

Ngizobiza amaPoyisa. (...)

Police!

Stop! Thief!

I need your help.

It's an emergency.

I'm lost.

I lost my bag.

I lost my wallet.

I'm sick.

I need a doctor.

Can I use your phone?

Numbers

Numbers in Zulu are quite complex, with all of them acting as adjectives that alter the subsequent word. The numbers listed below are the traditional Zulu numbers, but virtually all Zulu speakers use the English counting system for convenience.

Shopping

Driving

Authority

I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate.

(...)

I want to talk to a lawyer.

(...)

Can I just pay a fine now?

(...)

Zulu traffic is a big thing in the Zulu they say thaat there traffic goes by very fast by day and day it goes by faster and faster everyday when they when it is going by faster they is goes they it goes to fast by day and a dy when it goes by they say the Zulu people even drive fast in the night they go a little faster at night then they do in the daylight they do not travel only when they immeaditlly have to.